Connecticut western news., 1887-10-12
SUPERSTITION.
The Belief in Signs Common to
 Many People.
Some Old-Time Onens and What They Indicate.

Some Old-Time Omens and What They Indicate.
 It is astonishing what a hold super 1ftition has upon the average American, Ind it may be safely said that there is Dot one in hundred who has the force 4f character and strength of mind to bnburden himself of all such foolish mo- 4lons. Among gamblers superstition foFassss aas much part of professionals d9cation as learning to deal cards, and until he has all the innumerable super stitions which prey upon tho minds of his class at his fingers tips he cannot expect to rank as real "gam."
 Actors, too, arc tho most superstitious people on the face of the globe. In no company will the manager permit the "tag' or end of the play to be spoken during the preliminary rehearsal. and if, on the night of the first appearance an actorof the company or an attachc of the theatre happens to look out front to "sizt up" the house before the curtain is rung up, he or she is in for long squabblc with the manager or his assis- tant. In less intelligent ompanlcs this breach of "etiquettc" would cost the offender good part of the salary that might be due him.
 Housewives have as many supersti tions as gamblers, even more, and some of them arc really Imaginable. In the country, if the back door happens to be open and rooster crows near it, the in dustrious housewife who may be in the kitchen securing her knives, will drop them in a hurry and run and get on her clean "duds." She considers it a sure sign that a stranger is coming. But should that rooster turn his back on the open doorway and go off growing his action will send cold chill mcande ring up and down the spinal column of the housewife, for then she knows "for ccr- tain" there'll be death in the family.
 Bad luck, too, will come if she sweeps dirt into her yard. It must be taken up in the house and burned in the stove. This superstition should be cul- tivated.
 Other superstitions of the same char acter-such as sweeping with broom at night time or dumping crumbs ip the ayard@d deserve univers;f commendation But just let hen crow in the yard of some old, way-back farmer. It will cause considerable. commotion in the family. From the infrequency of this occurrence the belief in the minds of many people that it foretclls a death is iaeradicable. Theresarc many other su- pcrstltions that are not common to any particular class, but find believers in all ranks and every condition of life. Thus, the familiar verses
 If you love me as love you,
 No knife can cut our love in two
 
 must have been founded on the old time belief that to present a knife to any per son, and especially if he or she was loved by the donor, would bring bad luck, and in the case of lovers a separa- tion
 "Death ticks' and the sound as o bells ringing in house arc cousins ger man of the Irish 'banshec," and the same direful consequences that are sup posed to attend the appearance of th' latter will result in the former instance A superstition which finds believer. among really intelligent people is tha of the 'howling dog" If a dog howl or moans in front of your house a night, to many people it is sure fore runner of sickness or death in tho family. The writer knows of two in ] stances where the moaning of dog a night in front of house was followed by dcath-that of the dog.
 When the time approaches for tn new moon to appear above the horizon young men and girls who are love stricken will hail it with feelings o mingled hope and fear. If by any mis chance they should first see the new moon by looking over their left shoulder then good-by to all hopes of successful issue of their affairs during the life o that moon.
 E All arc familiar with the lines: ''Se Ethe new moon through the glass, tn sign of trouble while it lasts" Shoul, the reader ever happen to leave hom and forget some bundle which he in tended to have taken, let him or her b sure to either make the sign of the eros in sand or else sit upon a convcnicn horse block. Should they return hom without performing these rites to destro the power of the Evil One, they are like ly to suffer some terrible calamity.
 To open and close an umbrella in house IS sure sign of death. Perhap the man who first said if you enter house by one door and leave 1t by an other, or if you enter by window, will bring some evil consequences, hopc' to scare off burglars who might be con templating a raid upon his silverwar and decorated china. Anyhow, it is common bellef.
 At the breaking up of merry crow who have spent the evening in laughtc and fun making should four persons bidding each other good night eros their hands thnre is a general shout an